First Love
by MzShellSan
Summary: Like everything else in Mori's life, falling in love was unexpected and completely undramatic. Written for day 19 of my FicMas event, dedicated to aleutianwarrior on AO3


**25 Days of FicMas**

**Day:** Nineteen

**Dedication: **AleutianWarrior

**Fandom: **Ouran High School Host Club

**Pairing: **Mori/Haruhi

**Disclaimer: **I do not own OHSHC

**First Love**

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Being in love was weird.

This was the conclusion Morinozuka Takashi had come to in his third year of high school.

It affected everything while nothing changed. The things he thought about in his quiet moments changed, the way he acted around others changed and his overall world view changed.

It was definitely jarring to wake up one day to find that everything he did reminded him of Haruhi in some way.

Foods he thought she would like or alternatively knew that she enjoyed. Things that were cute but that he could hear her tell him were 'unnecessary'. Even reading the price tags seemed to result in an internal monologue, aided by the many he'd listen to the younger woman give previously.

In all honesty, it was something of a hindrance to Mori's every day routine.

It had even managed to interrupt him Kendo meditation once (though only the once – he had better self-control then to let it happen again).

It was almost as weird to go to host club activities and to find himself using a considerable amount of self-restraint whenever he saw Haruhi with one of the other hosts (Mitsukuni excluded of course). He'd never thought himself to be the jealous of possessive type; then he'd never expected to be the kind of person to think about the one they fell in love with all day.

Perhaps it was more to do with the uncertainty of where Haruhi's feelings lay. She was so impossibly dense in matters like this that he was positive she hadn't noticed that any of the hosts liked her romantically (excluding Mitsukuni once more).

But that also made it all the more frustrating when she allowed their hands to come into contact with her skin; allowed them to touch her in ways she completely ignored but he knew they meant to be romantic.

"You should tell her," Mitsukuni said suddenly, looking up from the cake that he had been eating.

Blinking at his cousin, he didn't bother to pretend he didn't know what Mitsukuni meant.

"Ah."

Clearly that was enough for him because Mitsukuni immediately turned back to his cake; satisfied grin stretching across his face.

His wordless agreement was the only reason he found himself staying behind to help Haruhi clean up. Carefully, he picked up each tea cup and placed them onto a tray to bring to their attached kitchen so that Haruhi could wash them up as well.

They worked in silence, Haruhi offering a smile and repeatedly reminding him that "you don't have to help, Mori-senpai. I'm used to do it on my own" which–

That was rather sad to realise. They were so used to having people do things for them that none of them had really stopped to consider that maybe they were piling extra things onto Haruhi's plate that she really didn't need.

Guilt welled but instead of letting it fester he accepted it and promised himself that going forwards he would do his best to help where he could.

Maybe he could speak with Kyoya?

That was something to consider another time.

They worked in silence once more as Haruhi completed her task with the ruthless efficiency he expected by now.

"Thanks for the help Mori-senpai."

"Ah."

As usual, she wasn't bothered in the least by his lack of verbal response; reading through the lines almost as effortlessly as Mitsukuni would.

"Ride?" he offered.

Blinking in surprise, Haruhi tilted her head. "I can get come on my own, you don't have to," she assured him, moving to grab her bag from the ground.

In a show of impressive speed, Mori grabbed it first, swinging it over his shoulder.

"Ride." It was firmer this time and he watched as Haruhi's initial disagreement gave way to her exhaustion from a long day of school work and (what likely tired her the most) host club activities.

"If you insist," she allowed, a small smile on her lips.

"Ah."

Content with her agreement, Mori fell into step beside Haruhi. It was quiet in the halls of Ouran given how late it had become while they were cleaning up.

Was it always like this?

Glancing down at Haruhi, he noted how much more relaxed she seemed now then she usually was during club time or when surrounded by the others. He could see it in the way tension had bled from her shoulders and the slight slouch of her frame.

It warmed him to know that she felt like she could relax around him. It warmed him even more to realise that if one of the other hosts had offered a ride she would have turned them down. But she didn't turn him down. She had been polite but she was too blunt to use excuses to turn down a ride.

Which meant she had only done so out of a token protest.

"It's weird."

Her sudden statement dragged him away from his thoughts and he titled his head to her in question.

"Seeing you without Hunny-senpai," Haruhi explained, nodding towards his empty shoulders.

"Ah." It was more weird for him to realise that he hadn't even noticed the lack of weight on his shoulders or the lack of presence of his cousin. Normally he would be out of his mind with worry by now but he was too occupied with thoughts of Haruhi.

Smiling at him, Haruhi shrugged. "I don't mean to overstep, Mori-senpai, but it's a nice change."

Silent still, he raised an eyebrow in question as he mulled over her comment.

As always, she understood instantly what he was asking. "It's just- sometimes I worry that you don't give yourselves enough freedom. I understand that your bond is strong. It's admirable. I just think that it might be time you learnt to give him the space he needs to grow. You can't be together every moment of every day forever," she pointed out practically; voice soft.

There was concern in her eyes – likely over whether or not she was saying things he would react badly to.

Instead, he let his lips quirk into a small show of a smile. Lifting his hand, he placed it on her head gently.

"Ah."

I'm trying.

Again, Haruhi understood and nodded. "That's good. Is that why you let him go without you this afternoon?"

Mori grunted in agreement even though it wasn't the entire truth. "He insisted," he admitted. But only so that he could give Mori the room to speak with Haruhi about his feelings.

Nodding in understanding, Haruhi let the silence fall between them again until they reached his car; the driver already waiting.

Spotting Haruhi, he smiled at his young master. "To the Fujioka's first?" he asked.

"Ah."

Before the driver could grab the door, Mori opened it for Haruhi, waving for her to get in first.

Smiling, she thanked him before sliding in. A moment later he slid in as well, amused by the quiet mutter about rich bastards she heard.

Time seemed to fly by and the closer they got to Haruhi's place, the more Mori considered how to ask Haruhi out. It was best to blunt, he figured, since he didn't want her to take it any way other than how he intended. But he was so used to speaking the bare minimal to get his point across even with Haruhi that he wasn't sure how to go about it.

He supposed he just had to hope that for once Haruhi picked up on the somewhat subtle hints like a normal person.

He ran out of time to consider the situation further when they pulled up in front of Haruhi's place. When the younger girl made to grab the door handle, he swiftly opened it himself, stepping out in a smooth motion to wait for Haruhi.

"I can get the door myself Mori-senpai. You didn't have to," she insisted; exasperation leaking into her tone.

Quirking his lips, Mori offered a one shouldered shrug and nodded towards her apartment door.

"You're going to walk me to the door? You didn't need to-"

"Yes."

Sighing, Haruhi let him do as he wished. She might have noticed that he was somewhat nervous – she might not have. Either way, she was letting him do as he wished with little complaint.

(If he stopped to consider that properly, he would realise that's because the things he's doing are very tame in comparison to what the others would have wanted.)

They came to a stop in front of Haruhi's door and her keys rattle in her hand as she fought to get the older lock open. Finally it gave way and she turned to smile up at him; adorable in her triumph.

"Haruhi."

She tilted her head, waiting for him to say more.

"Will you go on a date with me?"

There. She couldn't possibly misinterpret that statement right?

Except she looked genuinely confused and it was starting to concern Mori. Did she not want to or did she really not understand?

"I-" her cheeks flushed and Mori blinked at the unexpected sight. Maybe she had understood then? "I would love to but, are you sure Mori-senpai? I'm not from a good family, won't your own family be upset?"

A small smile formed on his lips when he recognised that she was _concerned_, likely because of the ways everyone at Ouran acted – her friends included – and how they seemed to treat everything.

"No."

That seemed to be enough for Haruhi because in an instant her worry gave way to a beam. "In that case then, yes. I would love to go on a date with you Mori-senpai."

Placing a hand on her head he ruffled her locks gently. "I'll text."

Haruhi nodded.

"Good night, Haruhi."

"Good night Mori-senpai."

"Takashi."

Blinking in surprise, her cheeks seemed to flame and he mentally filed away the image. It was rare to see Haruhi so flustered, and for her to be twice in one night he must have really thrown her composure.

"Takashi-kun," she agreed finally. "But only when the others aren't around."

"Ah."

It was just like her to think of everyone else at the same time. But that was just one of the many things that made Haruhi, well, _Haruhi._

And in the end, he wouldn't change that at all.


End file.
